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I love how 32 kids "earned" recognition in Yale 1. 8 teams, 32 awards. That league must have 15-20 division one college basketball players based on all those awards. If you suited up, you are an honoree!

I normally don’t comment in these threads but I want to respond to “participation trophies”. Those kids most definitely earned the honors that’s coming to them. It’s so much easier to throw stones from behind a computer screen. It takes a different type of person to show love to these kids. The Yale cup players absolutely earned their spots... there’s a lot of great players in this area and to be recognized as some of the best among them is an honor they’ll never forget. Out of all the things you could have commented you let that be your response. Show love don’t hate!!!!

Yeah, I guess the fan is correct. HT, Emerson and Honors were 6-30 in league play and have 10 post season award winners. That sounds worthwhile. MEC and East needed 7 and 6 postseason award winners. Those teams must be some of the best in the nation!

Everyone has their own opinions but ..Avion Harris,Patton(Timon), Dowling(Canisius),Ashley(Joes) ,orogun(park) and either Smith or Riley from Health Science deserve a spot ..... competition matters and these teams played top competition and where the best. I wish we actually followed Rochester who does a big school and small school all star.

Opinions are just that opinions but strength of schedule, final rankings (state and local), and production within league and between leagues should be considered. Otherwise, it's just who you like and had an opportunity to see.

Agree with Justsaying, results should be the measure.John Orogun (Park), was the most dominant big man in WNY basketball. His team first attitude, tireless work eithic & game changing play should earn his a spot on the first team:
*345 points in 24 games averaging 14.4 points per game, with a season shooting average of 67% FG.
•314 rebounds in 24 games averaging 13.1 rebounds per game.
•38 blocks, averaging 2.1 blocks per game.
•14 double-doubles in 24 games. A game high of 24 rebounds In 5 other games, John missed the double-double by either 1 point or 1 rebound.
•John’s accomplishments were done when he was usually double teamed.

Yeah stats, usually guys with 8 points / 3 reb / 2 ast earn spots on 3rd team All WNY. That's one hell of a stat-line! I am thoroughly impressed by that, as should everyone in the USA. The offers must be rolling in!

Statesman, it’s obvious you are a Park fan. You do bring up a good point with John Orogun. Just remember, everyone has an opinion and everything’s not clear cut. There’s many players with the same stats as the other two players you mentioned. That being said stats aren’t everything and Dez Davis had a solid all around season but probably won’t get any love. Bradberry is a definite first teamer and John should also be. That’s my opinion.

First sectional title since 1959. 5th seed in AA who only had one player selected All-League and possibly no All-WNY selections. Many coaches did great jobs this season but no one overachieved more than Lancaster.

Why not just go by D1 offers? - Right... Park jumps to the top. Don't discount Park because they're the only 716 team playing a national schedule. They are still 2x NYS CHSAA Champs, won 1 National Tournament and finished 3rd in another against competition not seen in WNY.

for the record Park had 5 players in D1 this year with 3 starting. Joe Jones (Georgia State), Chris Efretuei (Louisiana-Monroe), Jordan Nwora (Louisville), Giambatistta Davis (UB), Mariano Baldon (Niagara). Also a few D2 and JUCO. AND I believe the under-honored and often wrongfully called overated Jordan Nwora was not only named the 12th best player in College Basketball by Sports Illustrated, he was named All ACC, ACC Academic All American and All American by: Associated Press, The Sporting News, The Athlete and USA Today. Further honors forthcoming. KEEP UNDERRATING PARK'S PROGRAM. No school from WNY in the last 15 years has had as many players get to the next level and I believe they could challenge any team on GPA too.

How is Nwora underrated? He’s received countless honors which you’ve noted.

Your last comment is simply inaccurate. Niagara Falls and Canisius have produced more college basketball players in the last 15 years than Park. Park has only been on the map for the last 6 or so years.

Fact Check, every MMA school recruits and gets students from other schools not just Park. Ex: Eric Kegler from St Marys to Canisius, DeShawn Ashley from Amherst to St Joes, Jameer Patton from CSAT to Bishop Timon and many more. It is what it is.

BD1 - every school that recruits once athletes are in high school is doing it illegally. It shouldn't be allowed and is a big reason why that league isn't allowed in section 6. If you bring in a 9th grader, that's doing it the right way, stealing kids from other schools is simply a joke. The fact that many kids bounce from one school to another is ridiculous, when the fact is that most are only as good as their posse says they are. I'm pretty sure that the league director is trying to put a stop to all of this.

At Park the only one who could be considered a transfer is Jalen whose school closed so he is not a transfer. On the other hand why wouldn't a student athlete want to transfer to a school with superior academics and proven athletic excellence. Park is not free and everyone pays their way in some form. Many schools are involved in "Basketball without Borders".

Are these posts just to argue, smh. Insulting a kid because he does not have D1 offers, Davis might not have d1 offers but how many local kids do? insulting another because he played for a d1 team that made the tourney but did not play a ton, I bet 90 percent of kids on these lists would love that opportunity. This is nuts , adults being kids as usual. Park has been crucified , unfairly removed from top spot in WNY rankings after beating the top team for no reason that makes sense, nothing that's in kids control. But for Park to start downing quality kids like the Canisus kid is bad. It does more harm to the perception of the program than helped it. Hopefully next year brings some togetherness for the area. The competition should be saved for the courts.

- Jalen was at NF last year, that school did not close.
- “No program from WNY in the last 15 years has had as many players get to the next level as Park”. That was your statement. The fact is Canisius and Niagara Falls have had more players play college basketball than Park in the last 15 years. Major level players is a different conversation.
- Park guy accusing other schools of “basketball without borders”....

I stated D1 scholarship ball - not those who played at any level. Look at scholarship offers. I forgot Jalen was at NF after NC closed. There's a big difference playing local vs national. The High School Park lost to a year ago to finish 2nd at the King Cotton Classic has produced more pro athletes than any school and was named Sports High School of the Decade by SI. If Park's student-athletes perform at a higher level and have more talent, honor them. Don't push them aside for those that only deserve participation awards if anywhere else.

The Park School of Buffalo was only in the MMAA for half the decade. Park is 45-2 (96%) at Home; 109-21 (84%) Overall; and was 54-9 (86%) League. Federation Titles: 2; State Titles: 3; Manhattan Cup Titles 2: College Players (all levels): 13 including 5 current NCAA D1. ALL IN FIVE YEARS.

You win. Park is the best in the world. We all bow down. How are all of their other sports teams? We all know that they have the high and mighty in boys basketball since they bring them in from anywhere and everywhere, but how about the other teams? When Park pushers call everyone else "those that only deserve participation awards", you shouldn't wonder why most people dislike the way Park does business. How'd that game versus SJ go this year? Oh yeah, you dropped them in favor of the game against Global Concepts.

You didn’t state only D1 scholarships but thank you for clarifying. Over the last 15 years, Canisius and Niagara Falls have both had more student-athletes receive D1 scholarships than Park. Park has had a nice 5 year run but Canisius/Falls have had great teams for years so they should have more scholarship players over the 15 year period that you chose to point out.

Also, comparing the percentages of a 5 year run to 10 years is obviously not apples to apples. Park has had a great 5 years, no one is debating that. If they can sustain those numbers for 5 more years I’d be impressed. Unfortunately for you that run has a year left and then they will be back to playing IAC ball.

Yes Los, the competition should be saved for the courts but your school backed out of the SJ game.

How does a kid like Joe Ciocca get overlooked? Plays on one of the best teams in WNY. He was the second leading scorer at Canisius after Dwayne Vass. Selected to the All Catholic A Team. He was the leading scorer (21 points) in the Canisius State Catholic semi-final victory over Long Island champion St. Anthony’s at Hofstra. Scored the most three pointers by a wide margin at Canisius. Second most in Section 6. Smart, tough player who coaches had to game plan for. I would take him over a lot of other kids on this list any day. Come on!

I honestly think that Tim Kolasinski from olean should be coach of the year by far. He brought a 7 seeded Olean team to win the sectional championship. He proved that this was not a down year for this amazing and winning program. He was a true leader, he blocked out all the hate on the program this year. He continued to have success even considered a down year. You have to give Olean credit this program is special and they’re only getting better from here.

Otto is my pick from coach of the year.Knocking off NFHS who was the section 6 champs for the last 4 or 5 years. Lancaster had a great season . Parker would be my second only one loss beating powers canisius and St. Joe's.

Yeah, Lancaster beat NF because NF didn’t have their best player. They wouldn’t of won a sectional championship if he played and Otto wouldn’t be in the conversation. I honestly think it should be Kolasinski or Parker.

Lamcaster beat a very good Will North team, Then the Falls with there best player Turner and then went on to beat a better Orchard Park team. Otto deserves to be in the conversation and class AA is alot tougher than class B sorry. Taking nothing away from Olean but Otto or Parker.

Olean beat Jamestown this year unlike Lancaster and Olean didn’t have their second best player that game. AA wasn’t as competitive this year. Olean had to face a tougher road than Lancaster not getting the easy way out. The coach of the year conversation should be between 3 coaches Otto , Parker, and Kolasinski

wnyhoops what hate are you talking about? I've never heard anyone hating on Olean's Kolasinski. He took over for a legend but who hated for that? Turner was the best player on N. Falls by a landslide. And since when is beating Jamestown the criteria to point to for coach of the year. When was the last time they won AA? Not great arguments